Hong Kong: Al-Nassr booked their spot in the Saudi Super Cup final after edging past Al-Ittihad 2–1 in a dramatic semi-final at Hong Kong Stadium.
The night was full of twists—Sadio Mané opened the scoring, was later sent off, and Cristiano Ronaldo’s unselfish play helped debutant João Félix score the decisive winner.
Al-Nassr struck first in the 10th minute through Mané, who converted Marcelo Brozović’s cross with a sharp finish. But Al-Ittihad responded quickly, as Steven Bergwijn levelled the game six minutes later.
The game took a dramatic turn in the 25th minute when Mané received a straight red card for a late challenge. VAR upheld the referee’s decision, leaving Al-Nassr down to 10 men.
Al-Nassr coach Luís Castro admitted: “It was a difficult moment for us, but the players showed great discipline and never lost belief.”
Despite the setback, Al-Nassr pushed forward with determination. Their persistence was rewarded in the 61st minute when Cristiano Ronaldo, instead of going for goal himself, laid off a perfect pass for João Félix, who calmly slotted the ball past the keeper.
“It’s a dream start for me. To score in such an important game and help the team reach the final means everything. Ronaldo’s assist shows the kind of leader he is on the pitch.” Félix said.
Ronaldo, who had a second goal disallowed for a foul in the buildup, praised the team’s resilience: “We showed spirit and fight. Even with ten men, everyone worked hard for each other. This victory is for our fans who travelled all the way here to support us.”
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Al-Ittihad pressed hard in the closing stages, but Al-Nassr’s defence held firm until the final whistle.
The win sets up a Saudi Super Cup final showdown on August 23 in Hong Kong, where Al-Nassr will face the winner of the other semi-final between Al-Qadsiah and Al-Ahli.